


Miracles in December

by SniperMoran



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, Miracles in December - EXO-K, Post-Reichenbach, Song fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2014-08-06
Packaged: 2018-02-12 00:03:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2088009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SniperMoran/pseuds/SniperMoran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I started writing this while listening to the song 'Miracles in December' by EXO-K, thus, it is named after the song.</p>
<p>The December after the Reichenbach Fall is a joyful time for most of London, save for a few. And amongst the few, there is a lone sniper. What happens that December is something he isn't bound to forget.</p>
<p>(Complete)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miracles in December

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own the song that the title of this fic is based off of. I take liberty with Sebastian's character since he was not very fleshed out in the books.

It had been a cold winter this year, harsh and heavy. The snow would come, stay around for awhile, and then it would melt, it'd be warm and sunny for a few days and then the snow would come right back, blanketing the streets of London in a pure white. Children would be out in the streets laughing and playing, having snowball fights, making snowmen. It was a beautiful time of year.

For most.

But for one sniper, alone in a small little flat in the far part of London, the winter was not beautiful. It was depressing, and cold, and suffocating. He couldn't escape it. It was the first one since--He couldn't think of it. It would just cause an avalanche and he couldn't afford one of those right now. He'd run out of alcohol and didn't want to walk out in that snow, didn't want to see the happy looks on people's faces.

While most of London rejoiced the passing of the Consulting Criminal, James Moriarty, there was one man, the lone sniper, who was lost without him. He had no one in this world. The only person he had who was important, who cared in his own way...was gone, and was not coming back.

Sebastian was slumped on the sofa, his eyes closed, an empty scotch bottle in his hand. It wasn't the only one, there were plenty of bottles scattered around the flat. The ashtray on the coffee table was overflowing. He'd put himself in a stupor again. He would do anything these days to get away from the pain of his loss.

This wasn’t living. This was barely even surviving. He was going through the motions of being alive: breathing, eating when it became absolutely necessary, and using the washroom. Sleep was nearly impossible, for every-time he closed his eyes, he saw that damned gun, that damned grin…and then he saw the blood all over that damned Westwood suit. His neighbors didn’t even bother complaining about the screaming anymore. They had learned to tune it out. The landlord never bothered with the sniper, seeing as his rent was paid in full by a mysterious donor. Sebastian knew who the ‘mysterious donor’ was, and it brought a bitter taste to his mouth when he thought about it.

He had planned it all the way to the end. Planned every last little thing.

Except that the good detective wouldn’t really die. He may have jumped, but he had survived somehow, and it irked the sniper to no end. His boss had been such a genius…how had he not seen that something like this would happen? That he would be tricked. Why would he make everything so final for himself and leave such an open end for the damned detective.

As the clock struck midnight on Christmas Day, and the snow continued to fall silently outside, Sebastian, even in his drunken stupor, pictured the good Dr. Watson enjoying his holiday with his lovely fiancé and his dear detective. They’d be all sat around the fireplace, opening gifts, telling stories. Holmes would get out his stupid violin and he’d play a beautiful tune that he’d taught to himself, perhaps something strangely beautiful that he’d composed himself. He’d dedicate it to John, or to the evening, or something dramatic and over-the-top as was in his nature. They’d laugh, and smile, and enjoy one another’s company.

And the sniper would be alone.

He wasn’t sure what time it was when he opened his eyes again, wasn’t even sure if it was the same day. But he had heard a noise that had made him stir from his unconscious state. It had sounded like something on the roof. Rolling his eyes, he figured it was some parent going a little over-board in trying to convince their child that Santa Claus was a real thing*. He closed his eyes again, wondering if he could slip back into that dark, warm place he had been only moments before, but there it was again, some loud thud on the roof.

Frustrated, and realizing he wouldn’t get back to rest until he stopped the noisemaker, he pushed himself up from his chair, heading towards the door that led out onto his small balcony. Stepping outside into the cold wind, he instantly regretted not putting on at least a sweater, but there was no room for that in his mind at the moment.

“Hey! Who the hell do you think you are, making a racket up there? You’re not tricking anyone!” he called, trying to get a glimpse at whoever was making so much noise up there.

“Now now, is that any way to greet me after all this time, Tiger?” came the voice of a dead man. A voice that made Sebastian’s blood run cold and instantly sobered him up. A voice he’d thought he would never hear again.

“….Jim?” he breathed, voice quiet, eyes widening as dark hair and dark eyes peered down at him from the roof.

“Merry Christmas, Tiger.” the man purred, sitting down on the edge of the roof. “Now do Daddy a favor and catch me?” he chuckled, not waiting for an answer as he let himself slip down from the edge.

Luckily, Sebastian’s reflexes were still as good as they once were, like riding a bike, as they say. He swiftly caught the smaller man, holding him close, making sure he was real, flesh and blood, and not some dream his cruel mind had come up with.

“It’s really you…” he whispered, squeezing his eyes closed, tears escaping from them and sliding down his cheeks.

Rolling his eyes, the consulting criminal smiled gently, nodding, running his fingers through messy blond hair. “Yes, Tiger, it’s really me. I’m home.” he hummed. “And you’ve been a very bad boy this year, haven’t you? I’ve been keeping my tabs on you,” he added; voice a bit more harsh, but still soft.

The sniper’s eyes narrowed and he wiped at his eyes, pushing the man at arm’s length. “You have no right coming in here and saying things like that, Jim. You fucking shot yourself in the damn head! With that stupid smile on your face and everything! And you KNEW I’d be watching. You KNEW I’d see that smile, and you KNEW I wouldn’t get to you in time. You BASTARD!” he growled, eyes filled with a fire that had been thought to have died along with the smaller man.

The smile on the adder man’s lips only enticed the sniper’s rage. “Hush now, Tiger. Daddy’s tired and you’re going to wake the entire neighborhood with all your shouting. Let’s get inside before you die of cold.” he hummed, completely calm and controlled, as he always was, as he would always be, it seemed. It was an insane level of calm.

Sebastian let himself be led back into the flat by the smaller man, only because he had been getting rather cold outside, and his mind was still trying to process how this was even possible. How could he have survived that shot? How—

“Stop overthinking, Tiger. I can smell the cogs turning and it’s a terrible scent.” Jim hummed, his voice cutting through Sebastian’s thoughts. “It’s not your job to think, it’s your job to accept and do as I tell you. That’s what I hired you for, remember?” he purred, gently brushing his fingertips against Sebastian’s jaw line. “You’ve fallen apart, Seb…I don’t like what I’ve seen and heard about you. Attempted suicide? Really?” he shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment as he patted the taller man’s cheek. “And you’ve been drinking so much. Barely eating. And above all, you’re smoking again.” he sighed, looking around at the state of disarray he was standing in. “Miserable. And unacceptable. Simply unacceptable.” he muttered.

Rage returning, the sniper glared at the small, raven-haired man, a growl filling his chest and rumbling through him. “You fucking shot yourself, Jim! Right in front of me! How the hell did you think I was going to react? With smiles and fireworks and joy and laughter like the rest of the goddamned world?” he hissed. “I thought you were a goddamned genius, but I guess I’ve been wrong all this time if you didn’t expect this is exactly how I would fall apart. If you thought I’d be FINE, you’re a damn fool.” he snapped angrily, his muscles tensing from the sheer need to hit something right now.

In an instant, all that rage turned to mush as the smaller man tugged on Sebastian’s collar, bringing them to the same level. He met the sniper’s eyes, searching them for a moment before pressing their lips together and wrapping his arms around his neck.  
Taken aback by the sudden shift, Sebastian was frozen for a moment in shock, before quickly wrapping the smaller man in his arms and holding him tightly as they kissed. It had been so long since he’d felt this kind of warmth, this kind of happiness. He hadn’t realized he had missed it until now.

When the kiss had broken, Sebastian didn’t want to let go of the raven-haired man, and it didn’t seem like he minded.

“I’m sorry I put you through that, Tiger. I know it was hard…” he whispered, gently running his fingers through the blond hair that he had so missed. “I missed you too. But I’m back now. I’m here.” he added, soothing his angry sniper, feeling his muscles relax. “It’s alright now, Tiger…” he breathed, pressing against the taller man, listening to his heartbeat for a moment.

“Jim…it’s been hell without you…” the sniper breathed, his voice catching slightly as he felt himself start to get a bit emotional.

“Shh, now Tiger…it’s alright…” the adder man whispered, putting his finger to the sniper’s lips. “I know….but it’s time to wake up now.”

Sebastian paused, blinking. ‘Time to…wake up….?’ he thought to himself, his mind racing again. What was going on. He…wasn’t this…?

Jim smiled softly, shaking his head. “Don’t fight, Tiger, just wake up…just relax….take a deep breath….and wake….up….” he whispered, voice fading slightly at each pause.

 

Sebastian jumped up, gasping for breath. He squinted in the bright white light that greeted him, shading his eyes with his hand to get a look around. Once his eyes had adjusted to the harsh light, he realized that he wasn’t in his flat. He…wasn’t anywhere that he’d ever been before, actually. He didn’t recognize his surroundings at all. His brow furrowed and he tried to speak, tried to call out for help, but his voice wouldn’t respond. His mouth felt like cotton balls, and his head felt like it was splitting in two.

Suddenly, he felt a cool, gentle touch on his arm, soothing and relaxing him. “Tiger…welcome back.” came the voice of the man he had just left. Turning his head slightly, his eyes caught the dark haired man in his gaze, searching him. His cheeks were stained with…were those tears? Why had Jim been crying? What was going on?

“I thought you were gone…Tiger you scared me…” Jim whispered, rubbing at his eyes. “I thought I told you to be careful….you’re lucky you always wear those damn dog tags…” he breathed, wrapping his arms around Sebastian, burying his face against his shoulder.

Still highly confused, Sebastian furrowed his brow, gently nosing at Jim, giving him a questioning look.

“You…don’t remember what happened?” he asked, brow furrowed slightly as he looked over his sniper carefully. “Tiger, you were shot…you jumped in front of me and I thought you were gone!” he breathed, voice cracking, tears welling in his eyes. “Your dog tag took most of the damage and slowed the bullets impact. You have a nice bruise on your chest, and your ribs are…going to be sore for awhile but…you’re alive…” he whispered, relaxing himself. “I…took the liberty of replacing that ruined tag for you.” he said, a small, playful smirk touching his beautiful lips.

Sebastian smiled softly in return, hiding his confusion behind the smile. He looked down, touching his tags, reading the new one’s inscription: ‘Stay safe, Tiger. –JM x’

Looking at Jim, unsure of what happened, what was real and what wasn’t, he didn’t care. Jim was here. He was alive. He was breathing and he was as beautiful as ever. More emotional than he had remembered him being, but…he could get used to that, as long as it meant that he could be with the man that he held most dear. Whatever had happened, he would keep it as his own little secret. His miracle in December.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no clue what happened here, but somewhere along the way, when wanting to make a twist to this story and give it more...I don't know...depth, I....may have accidentally let Sebastian slip into an alternate universe sort of thing. Yay! I hope it wasn't too weird for you. This is what happens when I let myself just...write.


End file.
